Trippier given 10-week ban over betting
ENGLAND full back Kieran Trippier has been handed a 10-week worldwide ban for breaching Football Association betting regulations. The news, although a significant blow to the Atletico Madrid player in the short term, will be a relief to Trippier and England manager Gareth Southgate, who will be able to select him for World Cup qualifiers in March and the summer’s European Championship. Atletico reacted with fury yesterday, insisting the ruling had not been communicated to them and that they would continue to consider Trippier, the only outfield player at the club to have played every minute in La Liga so far this season, for their forthcoming fixtures. However, Sportsmail understands that officials
from the FA attempted to contact their Spanish counterparts as early as Tuesday to inform them of the impending decision. Trippier, it is understood, is minded to accept the ban, but fell short of publicly stating his intentions yesterday.
But the possibility of Atletico doubling down on their threat not to recognise the suspension could leave him in an awkward situation which may lead to a change of heart.
The expectation, however, is that after the initial fury has died down, Atletico will accept the sanction. The leaders of La Liga do not play again until Wednesday, meaning one week of the ban will elapse without him missing a game.
Trippier, who cannot even train with his team-mates, has also been fined £70,000. He is set to miss at least 13 matches for Atletico — including their Champions League last- 16 first-leg clash against Chelsea in Madrid on February 23.
The FA are also unlikely to appeal for a harsher punishment. The decision was reached by an independent regulatory commission.
English football’s governing body successfully appealed against Daniel Sturridge’s original six-week suspension and £75,000 fine for a breach of betting regulations in 2019.
The former Liverpool striker was eventually handed a fourmonth ban after an appeal board deemed the original punishment ‘unduly lenient’.
Sturridge’s charge stemmed from him passing on information with regards to a possible transfer.
Trippier is feared to have been the victim of friends, unbeknown to him, putting on bets on the basis of information that had been relayed in private.
In responding to the original charge in May, Trippier said: ‘While a professional footballer, I have at no stage placed football- related bets or received financial benefit from others betting.’
The charge related to bets placed around the time of his move to Spain from Tottenham in July 2019.
An FA statement confirmed: ‘The Atletico Madrid defender denied seven alleged breaches of FA Rule E8(1)(b), which were said to occur during July 2019, and requested a personal hearing. An independent regulatory commission was appointed to hear the case, with four of the alleged breaches found proven and three dismissed during a subsequent personal hearing.
‘ The independent regulatory commission’s written reasons for its decisions and the associated sanction will be published in due course.
‘ The suspension, which includes all football-related activity, is effective worldwide ( immediately) following an application to FIFA.’
The fact Trippier will be available for the start of England’s World Cup 2022 qualifying campaign and the delayed Euro 2020 will come as a major boost to Southgate, who views the 30- year- old as an important member of his squad.